This application is a request for primary and secondary funding support for a conference entitled X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (XFM) in Biology to be held at Northwestern University Medical School (downtown campus), Chicago, IL on August 9 and 10th 2013. The mission of the conference is to allow current users of XFM and similar microscopy techniques to exchange data and ideas and at the same time to popularize the use of XFM in biology and medicine and grow a pool of investigators using XFM technique; we expect this will increase the yield of cutting edge research on metallic nanomaterals, metallic imaging agents, metalomics, and studies of effects of environmental pollutants including radionuclides, heavy metals, and nanomaterials. The majority of NIBIB funds requested are for sponsoring student/post-doc travel and poster awards.